Life From Japan: Top Ten Trending Anime in 2013

For better or for worse, 2013 is finally over, and I’m sure you know what that means.

Google has released the top ten trending anime for 2013 from the Japanese version of its search engine.

Now, for your reading pleasure, I present the 2013 top trending anime for Google Japan.

Top Ten Trending Anime in 2013

Source: Google Trends

10. Aikatsu

I first encountered the anime “Aikatsu!” when shopping at my local 7-11 in Tokyo. All set to buy some bottled tea, I spotted a stamp pad and a stamp next to the register. The character on the stamp was cute, so, naturally, I had to stamp a page in my schedule book. I would include a photo, but the scribbling in my schedule book reveals information that many people may (or may not) pay a lot of money for. I promise I do not have a bounty on my head.

Anyway, turns out, the character on the stamp was Aoi Kiriya from “Aikatsu!”

Also, it turns out the Aikatsu is the tenth 2013 top trending anime on Google search in Japan. What a coincidence!

9. Beyond the Boundary

(Japanese: Kyoukai no Kanata)

In the ”Genius’s Compendium For The 2013 Fall Anime Season,” Justin wrote,

…it’s hard to not be excited about this. It’s KyoAni doing a fantasy work.

Apparently a lot of people in Japan felt the same way about this supernatural-fantasy anime, seeing as it made spot number nine on the top trending anime list for Google Japan in 2013.

8. Dokidoki! PreCure

The number eight spot goes to “Dokidoki! PreCure,” a magical girl anime which was popular with my elementary school students back at my old job in a Japanese school. I can’t say I know many people my age who watch it, but never underestimate the Google search power of grown-up secret magical girl anime fans and moms of elementary school girls.

7. Psycho Pass

(Japanese: Saiko Pasu)

According to the OASG US Anime Releases 2014 post, the first season of Psycho Pass will be released in the US by Funimation in March. Much to Google search engine users’ delight, the head of the anime production company Production I.G. announced that a second season of Psycho Pass is in production. Judging by the Google search tallies, the second season may very well be a top trending item in 2014.

6. The Devil is a Part-Timer!

(Japanese: Hataraku Maou-sama)

Justin’s Genius’s Compendium For The Spring 2013 Anime Season put Hataraku Maou-sama! (“The Devil is a Part-Timer!” in English) at 13 in his personal ranking, but this anime managed to make number six on the Google trending anime chart.

As a side note, I really dig the bright colors on the Hataraku Maou-sama! official website.

5. Kill la Kill

The First Impressions: Kill la Kill post on OASG stated:

Kill la Kill is already a contender for having the best fight scenes in anime this year — not this season, this year. That’s how awesome they were.

Those fight scenes must have been part of what pushed Kill la Kill to such popularity. You can see the Kill la Kill opening sequence on YouTube to help form your own first impression if you haven’t watched the show yet.

4. The Flowers of Evil

(Japanese: Aku no Hana)

I was confused at first because “Aku no Hana” is the name of a song by one of my favorite Japanese bands, Buck-Tick, Also, “The Flowers of Evil” is the English name for the French collection of poetry called Les Fleurs du mal.

I’m pretty sure that this anime has nothing to do with a random band, but apparently the protagonist of this anime reads The Flowers of Evil all the time, and thus the anime’s title, “Aku no Hana.”

3. Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic

(Japanese: Magi)

The adventure/fantasy anime Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic managed to make the top three trending anime for 2013 in Japan. This anime started out as a manga, but eventually was made into an anime. The anime version of “Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic” has proved so popular that a second season called “Magi: The Kingdom of Magic” aired in late 2013.

2. Kuroko’s Basketball

(Japanese: Kuroko no Basuke)

I have bitter memories of basketball.

The first one involved having a basketball bounced on my head by fifth graders when I was in first grade. The second involves being called a vampire (because I’m really pale, get it?) while playing basketball in middle school.

Apparently not very many people have such depressing memories associated with basketball, because the anime Kuroko’s Basketball make it to the second spot on the Google Japan 2013 top trending anime list. Kuuki wrote more about this anime in a “First Impressions: Kuroko’s Basketball 2″ post in October 2013.

1. Attack on Titan

(Japanese: Shingeki no Kyojin)

I’m pretty sure that nobody in the world is surprised that Attack on Titan is the number one top trending anime for 2013.

The anime is everywhere in Japan, from posters in the trains to giant sculptures of the Colossus Titan’s head in the middle of Tokyo. From what I’ve heard, Attack on Titan is also wildly popular around with anime fans around the world.

AnimeEmily talked about how she scarred her younger brother for life with Attack on Titan this past Christmas. Now that’s quality time with family!

So there you have the top trending anime of 2013. I wonder if it is too early to be trying to predict the top ones for 2014…

Were there any in the 2013 top trending anime list that surprised you?

Which ones have you watched?